Yeehaw! FMC staff and board members will join thousands of other musicians, managers, record label types and music fans this week for the 20th anniversary of South by Southwest in Austin, TX, March 15-19, 2006.

We will be dividing our time dashing between panel presentations, parties, meetings, rock shows and Tex-Mex meals. FMC’s Jean Cook is playing something like 6 shows in four days! As much fun and beer sloshing that accompanies SXSW, the core focus of FMC’s time in Austin will be explaining the issues at the intersection of music, law, technology and policy that are shaping the way that music is promoted, sold and distributed in the digital age.

Please stop by a panel, a show, a briefing, to say hello!

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FMC health insurance consultant Alex Maiolo will be at SXSW from Wednesday, March 15 - Sunday, March 19. If you’d like to schedule a personal meeting with him about health insurance options, please email him at alex [at] futureofmusic [dot] org to set up an appointment. He’d be glad to chat with you.

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THURSDAY, MARCH 16

FMC folks will be hanging out at the Bloodshot Records Showcase at Bourbon Rocks, 508 East 6th Street. The fun starts at 8:00 PM! We may also be spotted at the Kill Rock Stars Showcase at Emos Annex, 600 Red River Street.

FRIDAY, MARCH 17

FMC Policy Briefing
Friday, March 17 11:00 AM
Room 14, Austin Convention Center
While time slows down in Austin, things are moving quickly in DC. During a short briefing for members of the media, we will discuss the impact of current policy issues on the music community, including the ongoing debates about telecommunications policy, radio and media ownership. FMC will make a brief presentation and then be available for dialog and questions, so come on by!

Panel: New Business Models for Record Labels
Friday, March 17 12:30 PM
Room 16B, Austin Convention Center
FMC Deputy Director Kristin Thomson will be moderating a panel on what business models record labels and artists have embraced in the digital age. Panelists include Melissa Ferrick (Artist/Founder/CEO, Right On! Records), Shannon O’Shea (Facilitator, SOS Management), Jay Faires (President of Music & Publishing, Lionsgate Entertainment), Dave Allen (President, New Media Licensing, Pampelmoose and member of Gang of Four), and Hank Shocklee (President, Shocklee Entertainment).

Panel: Grammy Town Hall
Friday, March 17 3:30 PM
Room 18 ABC, Austin Convention Center
FMC Policy Director Michael Bracy will make opening remarks before a stellar group of panelists discuss the policy decisions made every day that affect musicians. Moderated by Daryl Friedman from The Recording Academy and including five members of Congress: Rep. Marsha Blackburn, Rep. Charles Gonzalez, Rep. Stephanie Herseth, Rep. Michael McCaul, Rep. Linda Sanchez, and Recording Academy board member Jimmy Jam.

SX Studio Session
Friday, March 17 4:00 PM
Convention Center Trade Show floor
FMC’s Kristin Thomson will interview SoundExchange’s Neeta Ragoowansi

SX Studio Session
Friday, March 17 5:00 PM
Convention Center Trade Show floor
Paste Magazine will interview FMC’s Kristin Thomson

In the evening, you’ll probably find many of us at the Misra Records Showcase, which starts at 8:00 PM at Maggie Mae’s, 323 East 6th Street.

SATURDAY, MARCH 18

Panel: The Insurance Monologues: Health Care Q and A
Saturday, March 18 12:00 noon
Room 19A, Austin Convention Center
FMC consultant Alex Maiolo will be hosting a panel to help musicians navigate the red tape and confusion surrounding health insurance. If you want to arrange a time for a personal meeting with Alex while he is at SXSW to discuss health insurance issues, please email him at alex [at] futureofmusic [dot] org.

Panel: Outside the Box
Saturday March 18 1:30 PM
Room 12AB, Austin Convention Center
FMC’s General Counsel Walter McDonough will be on a panel about CD boxes sets. Other panelists include Andy Schwartz (Albert King Fan Club), Sylvie Simmons, Jaan Uhelszki (Sr Editor, Harp Magazine), James Austin (Sr Dir A&R/Special Prod, Rhino Records), Shawn Amos (A&R, Shout! Factory).

Panel: Ten Things You Can Do to Change the World
Saturday, March 18 3:00 PM
Room 12AB, Austin Convention Center
FMC’s Jenny Toomey will be moderating a panel that gathers some of the most politically and socially active bands and artists for a discussion about how artists can be agents of change. Panelists include Steve Earle (Artist/E-Squared), Damian Kulash (OK Go), Hank Shocklee (President, Shocklee Entertainment), Chris Walla (Death Cab for Cutie) and Tom Morello (Audioslave/Rage Against the Machine).

FMC is thrilled to announce a benefit show…for us! Organized by Charles Bissell from the Wrens, the show will happen on Friday, March 24 from 6:00 – 9:00 PM at the Knitting Factory in New York City.

When asked about his motivation for organizing the show, Charles Bissell said, "FMC is informed, engaged, and making a difference for musicians. I offered to organize this event as a way for the music community to give something back to them and to help offset the costs of their work."

The show’s star-studded lineup includes:

Comedian Eugene Mirman
Nada Surf (acoustic)
Will Sheff from Okkervil River
Man Man
Hosted by Charles Bissell from The Wrens

Friday, March 24, 2006
6:00 to 9:00 PM Early show!
Knitting Factory, Main Room
74 Leonard Street, NYC

Tickets $15. Click here to purchase
Proceeds from the show will go to support FMC’s work.

Don’t be disappointed. Buy tickets in advance! With a lineup like this it’s likely to sell out.

FMC would like to thank Charles Bissell, the bands playing this show, and the Knitting Factory for their generous support. It’s amazing that members of the music community feel strongly enough about our work and our mission that they’re willing to take the initiative and organize an event like this. We hope to see many of you at the show.

Are you a musician living without health insurance? You’re not alone. A 2001 survey of 2,700 musicians revealed that the complicated process of obtaining health insurance overwhelmed many of them.

Even if you do have health insurance yourself, you probably know a musician who doesn’t and who’s taking a dangerous risk. Now they don’t have to just cross their fingers and hope they don’t roll the van.

We know that half the battle is just cutting through insurance jargon and giving musicians advice that’s based on their own situation. That’s why, with financial support from the Cummings Foundation, we created the Health Insurance Navigation Tool, or HINT.

The HINT website portal gives you an easy way to schedule a telephone consultation with our health insurance experts (who also happen to be musicians) to discuss the options that best fit your needs, at no obligation and no cost. (HINT consultants do not write policies through this process. All they do is consult folks on options).

Go to this webpage to request an appointment

HINT appointments are currently available Monday through Thursday, 7 PM – 8:30 PM Eastern time and are 30 minutes long. After filling out this form and answering a few questions, your request will be emailed to the HINT team and they will confirm the date and time with you. All calls are confidential.

We’ve also written articles that cut through the insurance industry jargon and explain some of the complicated concepts in musician-friendly language. Check it out

FMC health insurance consultant Alex Maiolo will be at SXSW from Wednesday, March 15 - Sunday, March 19. If you’d like to schedule a personal meeting with him about health insurance options, please email him at alex [at] futureofmusic [dot] org to set up an appointment. He’d be glad to chat with you.

Help us spread the word about HINT

We need to make sure as many working musicians know about this resource as possible. We urge you to post info about HINT on blogs, message boards, or your website. We have a webpage that includes JPG banners, web graphics, and pre-recorded public service announcements that make it easy to post links on your site or blog. A little tip for you: listen to the PSAs by clicking on their links. They’re great.

We know that health insurance is not cheap, and there’s not much we can do about that barrier besides supporting federal policy changes that would inch us closer to universal care. But in the meantime, we can address the other obstacles – whether it’s feelings of being invincible, apathy, shame or confusion – that make it hard for musicians to obtain health insurance. Please let musicians know that we’re here to help.

You can always send an email to suggestions [at] futureofmusic [dot] org with your comments.

Thanks as always,

Jenny Toomey
Michael Bracy
Walter McDonough
Brian Zisk
Kristin Thomson
Peter DiCola
Jean Cook

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